May Fourth Movement

Author: Cao Wansheng
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-01-01
Features: The May Fourth era was an epic era, similar to the European Renaissance, an era that demanded giants and produced giants—in terms of intellectual capacity, passion, and character, as well as in versatility and erudition. Among the giants of modern Chinese culture, there was one who was both a writer and a theorist. His six decades of artistic criticism practice covered a wide range of fields, including the aesthetics of art, the aesthetic appreciation of art, and the aesthetics of various art categories. His monumental work of over 13 million words constitutes a grand and organic system of artistic aesthetics. His theories represent the typical mainstream of aesthetic realism in China's new literature and have exerted a profound historical influence on the development of modern Chinese literature. He is none other than Mao Dun. This book has three prominent features: , the author attempts to comprehensively review and systematically comment on the formation and evolution of Mao Dun's artistic aesthetic thought, its fundamental framework, historical contributions, and strengths and weaknesses, within the broader context of the historical transformation of aesthetics, literary studies, and modern cultural thought both in China and abroad. It can be said that this is the most comprehensive monograph to date on Mao Dun's artistic aesthetics in both China and the world. Second, the content of the book is quite rich and full of original insights, offering many unique perspectives that have not been previously explored or articulated. Third, the arguments are relatively objective, not shying away from criticism even of the esteemed. In discussing the development of Mao Dun's artistic aesthetic thought and its strengths and weaknesses, the author fully acknowledges Mao Dun's unique contributions and historical significance to the history of modern Chinese aesthetics and literary theory and criticism, while also daring to offer straightforward criticism of some of the flaws, shortcomings, and contradictions in Mao Dun's artistic aesthetic thought.